What makes a person completely happy? Is it being in a reliable relationship, or is it finding a place in a world? According to Aristotle, every action that people do or do not do is ultimately made in our own blind search for happiness. Many people will search their entire lives for what they think will make them happy, and the some of them will be able to find what they have desperately been searching to obtain. The others will end up becoming victim´s to a false happiness that they themselves will create or the world will do it for them. Although it is clear that not everyone can find happiness, certain aspects can make or help you find happiness according to Aristotle. In the short excerpt ¨On Happiness,¨ Aristotle develops a sort of formula that can help somebody achieve happiness.
In ¨On Happiness,¨ Aristotle identifies happiness as the ¨highest good¨ (Aristotle 7) in order to persuade us that happiness can come from other goods or actions. Since people do things that will benefit themselves in the end, Aristotle was able to tie certain possessions to happiness. Aristotle states that ¨good birth, plenty of friends, good friends, wealth, bodily excellence as health, beauty, strength, large stature, athletic powers, together with fame, honor, good luck, and virtue¨ (Aristotle 7) are seen as aspects of life that can make someone happy. This notion from Aristotle means that people rely on certain ¨goods¨ in order to dictate whether someone is happy or not, but these goods alone are not what make people happy. These so-called goods that Aristotle describes happen when someone is in the pursuit of happiness, meaning that they are not the chief good, but all subordinate to it. So individuals use these items, such as a profession, as a sort of footstool in order achieve the ultimate good: happiness.
The main point of ¨On Happiness¨ is that Aristotle explains that in order to have happiness, a person needs to possess a function or a purpose. Aristotle says that finding happiness is ¨best done by first ascertaining the proper function of a man¨ (Aristotle 7). To understand the ¨proper function of a man,¨ we need to look at the function that Aristotle could potentially be talking about. A function is being able to do work that fits into a certain job, so the proper function for someone can come about through what they are good at and how they can do something they love with the gifts they have been give. An example of this type of function can be seen in a person good with tools becoming a mechanic but wanting to be something else. Imagine a kid growing up and building things with his dad. Then when he gets older, he becomes a mechanic. However, being a mechanic makes him miserable. His true desire is to become a chef due to him being highly skilled in the kitchen, but the only way for him to make a consistent income is to be a mechanic. Becoming a mechanic in this situation is not the man’s proper function, as that is not what he is good at. In order for someone to be placed in his proper function, he must first have a desire and then an ambition to develop his craft until he becomes excellent at it. This strive for excellence is ultimately what pushes someone to reach the full maximum happiness that we can while we are on Earth. The search of our proper function isn’t just found physically; it also occurs when people try to tap into their proper function spiritually. For Christians, we recognize that humanity’s proper function is to know God and to glorify Him to the best of our ability. Even though we as humans are usually imperfect in our proper function, we continue to try to improve how we can glorify God and give all the praise we can.
Aristotle's interpretation of happiness and that it comes from a person knowing and fulfilling his proper function is true in many cases, however not all human actions are solely committed to benefit ourselves alone. There are many people throughout the world whose happiness is tied to the happiness of others; by helping others, these people experience a sense of joyfulness. In Christianity, Jesus gave us the Golden Rule, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and He expects His followers to obey. Although humans are not perfect, finding our own happiness in the happiness of others can be seen in the little things, whether it is smiling at someone that you have never met or helping an older lady carry her groceries to the car. These tiny acts of kindness seem like nothing in our heads, but can make someone very happy. However, Aristotle has a valid point in that these virtuous actions are something that people do in order to increase their own happiness, but when looking at it through a spiritual aspect, it is clear to see that not all people’s motives are self-centered.
All in all Aristotle was pretty spot on when it comes to humans searching for happiness. The search for happiness always has to deal with a person finding their niche in the world or proper function. However, not everyone is able to achieve happiness by obtaining a proper function. A man that is not placed in his proper function will become miserable and will never be able to find happiness. The same can be said for a person spiritually when they do not have a relationship with God and are unable to glorify Him. Even though not everyone will experience happiness, it does not mean that they should give up searching for it. Even with the slightest hope that happiness can be achieved, people need to take it. Happiness is more than just an emotion; it is a way of life, and without out it people will be stumbling in the dark looking for a light that they will never obtain.
In ¨On Happiness,¨ Aristotle identifies happiness as the ¨highest good¨ (Aristotle 7) in order to persuade us that happiness can come from other goods or actions. Since people do things that will benefit themselves in the end, Aristotle was able to tie certain possessions to happiness. Aristotle states that ¨good birth, plenty of friends, good friends, wealth, bodily excellence as health, beauty, strength, large stature, athletic powers, together with fame, honor, good luck, and virtue¨ (Aristotle 7) are seen as aspects of life that can make someone happy. This notion from Aristotle means that people rely on certain ¨goods¨ in order to dictate whether someone is happy or not, but these goods alone are not what make people happy. These so-called goods that Aristotle describes happen when someone is in the pursuit of happiness, meaning that they are not the chief good, but all subordinate to it. So individuals use these items, such as a profession, as a sort of footstool in order achieve the ultimate good: happiness.
The main point of ¨On Happiness¨ is that Aristotle explains that in order to have happiness, a person needs to possess a function or a purpose. Aristotle says that finding happiness is ¨best done by first ascertaining the proper function of a man¨ (Aristotle 7). To understand the ¨proper function of a man,¨ we need to look at the function that Aristotle could potentially be talking about. A function is being able to do work that fits into a certain job, so the proper function for someone can come about through what they are good at and how they can do something they love with the gifts they have been give. An example of this type of function can be seen in a person good with tools becoming a mechanic but wanting to be something else. Imagine a kid growing up and building things with his dad. Then when he gets older, he becomes a mechanic. However, being a mechanic makes him miserable. His true desire is to become a chef due to him being highly skilled in the kitchen, but the only way for him to make a consistent income is to be a mechanic. Becoming a mechanic in this situation is not the man’s proper function, as that is not what he is good at. In order for someone to be placed in his proper function, he must first have a desire and then an ambition to develop his craft until he becomes excellent at it. This strive for excellence is ultimately what pushes someone to reach the full maximum happiness that we can while we are on Earth. The search of our proper function isn’t just found physically; it also occurs when people try to tap into their proper function spiritually. For Christians, we recognize that humanity’s proper function is to know God and to glorify Him to the best of our ability. Even though we as humans are usually imperfect in our proper function, we continue to try to improve how we can glorify God and give all the praise we can.
Aristotle's interpretation of happiness and that it comes from a person knowing and fulfilling his proper function is true in many cases, however not all human actions are solely committed to benefit ourselves alone. There are many people throughout the world whose happiness is tied to the happiness of others; by helping others, these people experience a sense of joyfulness. In Christianity, Jesus gave us the Golden Rule, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and He expects His followers to obey. Although humans are not perfect, finding our own happiness in the happiness of others can be seen in the little things, whether it is smiling at someone that you have never met or helping an older lady carry her groceries to the car. These tiny acts of kindness seem like nothing in our heads, but can make someone very happy. However, Aristotle has a valid point in that these virtuous actions are something that people do in order to increase their own happiness, but when looking at it through a spiritual aspect, it is clear to see that not all people’s motives are self-centered.
All in all Aristotle was pretty spot on when it comes to humans searching for happiness. The search for happiness always has to deal with a person finding their niche in the world or proper function. However, not everyone is able to achieve happiness by obtaining a proper function. A man that is not placed in his proper function will become miserable and will never be able to find happiness. The same can be said for a person spiritually when they do not have a relationship with God and are unable to glorify Him. Even though not everyone will experience happiness, it does not mean that they should give up searching for it. Even with the slightest hope that happiness can be achieved, people need to take it. Happiness is more than just an emotion; it is a way of life, and without out it people will be stumbling in the dark looking for a light that they will never obtain.
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